Vatican City
The smallest country in the world offers the heart of Catholicism and among the
world's finest art collections, including the Sistine Chapel and the Raphael
Rooms (ceiling pictured). Go to Vatican City!

Austria
Belvedere Palace (pictured) is just one of many palaces found in Vienna. The capital
is a good start to Austria, which also features the Alps, the Lakes District, and
incredible history & food. Go Now!

Ukraine
Ukrainian culture is based on village life, particularly that found in the Carpathian
Mountains (pictured). Begin Your Journey!

Culture & Identity of Germany

Introduction

Waitress in Bavaria

The way of life in Germany is, well, diverse. There are so many sub-cultures in
Germany and each group, and every individual has their own preferences and interests
that trying to distinctly define the way of life is a bit difficult, if not impossible.
Despite these challenges, there are many similarities among the people in how they
live.

All Saints Day

Much of Germany is urbanized (about 75%) and industrialized, but it's the services
sector where most working Germans find jobs. Technology is constantly pushing the
people in new directions and offering new jobs. However, for others, this technology
is best seen in the form of entertainment.

Even most jobs in Germany have inconsistent hours; many industry jobs have various
shifts and the services industries need workers nights and weekends at many times.
However, for those in industries that fall outside these entertainment and industry
jobs, the hours tend to be more stable. The workday for many runs from about 8:00
am to about 6:00 pm, but again hours vary drastically based on the industry and
location. For children, the school schedule is fairly consistent as schools run
from early September to late July and hours run from about 8:00 am to about 1:00
pm, although hours and vacations do vary.

For service-heavy positions in some sectors, such as the entertainment sector, weekends
(Saturday-Sunday) and evenings are required working times, but for those with more
consistent working hours, these times are when they get to enjoy the money they
worked hard to earn. For many families, evenings are spent with children, perhaps
helping with school work and for singles the nights might be spent with family or
friends. Bars, restaurants, and dance clubs are all popular forms of entertainment
in Germany, but sports and getting into the outdoors is also hugely popular. Many
Germans also like to take an extended vacation during the school's summer break,
most often in the month of August when many people like to get out of the cities
and head to the rural mountains or go abroad.

Identity

Germany is somewhat in the middle of an identity crisis.
In the past most people claimed to be German, which was defined by the ethnicity,
language, and political structure. However, since the Second World War, many Germans
believe this term has a negative connotation and people are now identifying in numerous
ways.

One of the most popular forms of identifying in Germany today is by region or local
ethnicity, such as Bavarian, Saxon, or Prussian. This was how most ethnic German
identified prior to the unification of Germany in the late 1800s and today many
people are again identifying in this way. Another popular way for the Germans to
identify is in a larger political term, calling themselves "European"
and arguing that all of Europe is one, a statement growing truer with the growth
of the European Union in recent decades. Still others primarily identify with a
political party as supporters of the Nationalist party, Neo-Nazi party, and Christian
Democrat party all have unique view points and these opinions tend to define how
many individual see themselves; some of these parties and identities are the result
of the suppression of the German identity. Despite all the differences, most people
identify as being German on some level.